1. What services do you offer?
We help clients articulate the answers to “Who are you?” and “What do you stand for?” We feel that in order to accurately guide our clients we need to get to the core of our clients’ concerns and aspirations to gain the insights we need. Only then can we offer accurate brand strategy, naming, identity, communication design, marketing communications, web design and social media and SEO (search engine optimization) for online marketing initiatives. In a nutshell, we help customers first determine what they need, not just want they want, and then deliver.
2. What industries do you have experience or specialize in?
We work for a variety of clients, and have developed unique skills specializing in mid-to- large professional services firms, which are typically partner-led organizations such as architects, engineers and related industries. Check out
our various case studies to see recent client work for a better idea of our capabilities.
3. Why do you specialize in those industries?
Professional services firms commonly run by founders, partners and stakeholders are often faced with challenges moving their own brand and identity related projects forward, without becoming mired in contrasting subjective opinions, or stepping outside their comfort zone in applying design to their unique market situations. In larger firms with specific design and marketing staff, objective, third party assistance that extends beyond pure design execution is critical to driving projects forward. In both cases, our unique style allows us to remove the clutter from the process in order to make advances on our clients’ business goals. Here are some insights into our
process we employ to determine the best fit for new clients and projects.
4. What makes you different?
We lead our projects personally, with an experienced team of engaged and dedicated people who do not impose what we know on our clients, or make assumptions. We listen and immerse ourselves in brands and situations, and pursue the right questions so we may understand firsthand the forces at play internally and externally.
Our objective is to uncover and share truths and insights we can use to empower our clients to maintain and grow brand and marketing functions, not leave them beholden to us. As such, we provide tools, training and resources our clients can own and intelligently use. For example, we deliver a brand platform to our clients as a secure online resource center we call Styleguide, not just a pretty brand book with a PDF and folder full of electronic files. For an example of how we do this, check out
styleguide.industrialbrand.com (Username: admin Password: admin).
We know that although our clients often wish to maintain an ongoing and longterm relationship, if we've done our job right, moving a corporate brand positively forward should be able to happen with or without us.
5. What do our clients say about why they hire us?
We deliver on promises. We represent value, and our clients regularly say they enjoy the process of working with us. Many of our clients come to us as referrals and repeat business. We shouldn’t brag, so we’ll
let them speak for us.6. How much does it cost to hire you?
Typically our minimum level of initial engagement is $15,000, though the majority of our clients spend between $50,000-$75,000 per project. Clarity is very important to us, and at the outset of an engagement, not all facets of need are apparent—actually, they rarely are. We have found that an initial approach to challenge, define and validate project requirements is ideal. In all cases, we provide thorough written estimates before commencing work.
This recent article expresses some of our views on pricing which you might find interesting.
7. We're considering an RFP process, will you participate if invited?
Typically, no. As
a recent article on RFPs explains, we don’t believe the RFP process results in accurately revealing the right partners for a given project. We may consider an RFP under certain open and fair conditions.
With a limited amount of new clients we can take on annually, we promise we will be forthright if we feel the work is not a good fit for either of us.
8. Where are you and your clients located?
Our main office is in Vancouver, British Columbia, with a satellite office in Chicago, Illinois, but we have clients all across North America and sometimes even Europe and Asia. We love to meet our clients face-to-face as much as possible and is practical. At other times we communicate seamlessly online.
Here's a link to our headquarters on GoogleMaps.9. What is your creative process?
Almost all design firms claim to have a creative process, but the truth is they are all rather similar. It’s when a tested methodology, combined with experience and abilities, is applied to a client’s unique situation that magic happens.
Here is a brief overview of ours.
10. What happens if I don't like the results you provide?
Our methodology is intended to always move projects forward, without surprises and ‘big reveals’. However, there are instances we may be asked to revisit work. In our opinion, this is a natural and allowable part of the process. Our first step in these situations is to ensure the rationale is aligned with the strategy and then probe for insights and determine appropriate next steps.
11. What is the timeline of a typical project?
An initial consultation process can take as little as two weeks, whereas a large strategic naming and identity project is likely to take several months or more. We’re at our best when our clients have budgeted time to allow for careful consideration, testing and refinement in advance of a launch date.
12. Are you comfortable working with an in-house marketing team?
Yes. In smaller firms we often work directly with a managing partner, and in mid-to large size firms a marketing manager, communications person or department, and even in-house graphic design talent are more common. Each requires a slightly different approach, but always with a common goal of delivering tools and resources to build on our work.
13. Do you offer planning, marketing and SEO services?
14. Do you handle print and web production?
We do. It’s actually our preference so we can guarantee a high level of quality and deliver on strategy. We want to establish the standards from which our clients may then take over. For example, with new identities we typically work with the printer to produce the initial order and then pass the relationship to our clients for simple stationery re-ordering.
15. Who owns the copyright and IP rights of the working and final production files you create?
You do. We never hold onto anything we’ve done for clients after we’ve been paid in full. That’s one of the things that distinguishes us from other companies—every asset we create is yours to keep and use.
16. Can you get started right away?
Our focus must always be on current clients first, but the initial work for a new relationship can begin quickly as we work out the balance of the project and schedule. We always factor in client scheduling requirements and never take on projects unless we can commit to a delivery date.
17. Do you employ certified or accredited designers?
18. If the fit isn’t right, can you recommend other designers?
19. What are your sustainable business practices?
20. Why are you called Industrial Brand?
The original impetus for the name ‘Industrial’ stems from the notion of the more powerful and strong solutions used for commercial purposes. The analogy is commercial cleaning products versus those used for light-duty tasks in a home. The stronger stuff requires some skill, training and caution to apply effectively. Seems an appropriate way to think about what we do don’t you think?
21. What else are you passionate about?
We’re glad you asked. There are many things, but by far the most universal is, food. So much so in fact that we have a fun little side project called
Foodists.ca. Born of our food-based posts to our original corporate blog, over the years it’s morphed into an international collective of almost 50 (and growing) similarly obsessed food fanatics. Check it out, but be warned, you will never get those hours and hours spent reading and salivating back!
22. What important information should we think through before approaching you?
Besides basic information like budget and timeline parameters, it is very important for clients to have a clear vision of what their goals, objectives and milestones are. Likewise, who your audience is and their priorities and preferences can be tremendously useful to our team. Examples of similar projects, often competitors, can often be useful ways to gain understanding of what you're trying to achieve. Finally, considering how success will be measured can help us remain focussed on solutions that produce results for you.
